Garden Clippings December 2006

McMinnville Garden Club Vol. 6 No. 4

Christmas Luncheon & Gift Exchange

December 18, 2006 10:30 – Beverly Mulkey, VP

Hillside Retirement Community “Activity Room” at the Manor

900 NW Hill Rd., McMinnville, Or 97128

Please bring contributions for our Annual Food Bank Canned Drive AND Gift Exchange ($10 or less) (No white elephant gifts please.)

A Holiday Centerpiece Competition is being tried this year. Members are encouraged to create and bring a centerpiece for the competition. All will be judged and some will be raffled off to lucky winners.

We’re having a Holiday Catered Buffet so reservations must be made by December 11^th. Please call your choice of Salmon or Roast Sirloin to Beverly Mulkey. 503-472-6972. Then send your check to McMinnville Garden Club, 13905 NW Willis Road, McMinnville, 97128 before December 11^th.

As 2006 comes to a close, so does our club’s 80^th year. So, we will also enjoy a Birthday Party for our Club at our December meeting. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate and enjoy a great time with other Garden Club members.

President’s Message

Dear Garden Friends,

Turkey Day is over and we’ve all shifted into “over-drive” to meet the many demands of the coming Christmas holiday season. There’s the tree to decorate, cards to address, gifts to purchase or make, gifts to wrap, gifts to mail, cookies and candy to make, parties to attend, programs to enjoy with family and friends, and much more.

Our Club’s own holiday celebration is Monday, December 18, 2006 at Hillside Retirement Community, Activity Center beginning at 10:30 a.m. If you’ve been busy with fall vacations and been unable to attend a meeting, this one would be delightful for you. You could see your friends, make new ones by getting acquainted with our 14 new members, have a delicious catered lunch and lift your spirits! This is our 80^th Birthday Party too, and there may be a surprise or two. Please call Beverly Mulkey with your reservation so we know you plan to attend and there’s a meal for you. Then mail your checks to Jacci Reed, Treasurer.

Whew! It’s a good thing our gardens are “sleeping” so we have time for catching the spirit of Christmas and sharing time with loved ones. Have a blessed Holiday Season!

Love,

Gaye Stewart, President

Hort. 101 - Julie Maahs

POINSETTIAS

Poinsettias are native to Mexico. They are part of the ‘Euphorbiaceae family (many plants in this family ooze a milky sap) which can cause skin irritation for some people. Poinsettias are not poisonous! The showy colored parts of the Poinsettia that most people think are the flowers are actually colored “bracts” [modified leaves]. The flowers or cyanthis of the Poinsettia are in the center of the colored bracts. A fresh Poinsettia is one in which little or no yellow pollen is showing on the flowered clusters in the center of the bracts. Plants that have shed their pollen will soon drop their colored bracts.

Care of Poinsettias: Place in indirect light, at least six hours of light is ideal. Keep away from warm and cold drafts, open windows, doors etc. Ideal temperatures for best growth are

60°F – 75°F daytime, 55°F at night. Check soil daily, water when soil becomes dry. If wrapped in foil, punch some holes so the water can drain. Do not fertilize when the plant is in bloom.

December 12 is National Poinsettia Day- By an act of Congress, December 12 was set aside as National Poinsettia Day. The date marks the death of Joel Roberts Poinsett who is credited with introducing the Native Mexican plant to the United States. The purpose of this day is to enjoy the beauty of this popular holiday plant.

So be sure to give someone you love a Poinsettia on December 12, National

Poinsettia Day.

Club History - Dorothy Mathiesen

December 18, 1933

Meeting was called at home of Mrs. Cook – with Mrs. Chenowith assisting. Nine answered roll call.

Mrs. Chenowith gave the calendar for the month which proved interesting and helpful.

Mrs. Pearson talked on things to do to bring Christmas spirit into the home. She also has an interesting wreath made of fir boughs, fruit and vegetables. Some winter bouquets were discussed and studied.

The speaker being unable to be at this meeting, a general discussion among the members proved beneficial. No dues. Marie Harztell, Sec.

“Every Gardener knows that under the cloak of winter lies a miracle….

A seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to the light, a bud straining to unfurl.

And anticipation nurtures our dream. “

Barbara Winkler

Backyard Habitat

http://www.backyardwildlifehabitat.info/

It’s time to make your habitat ready for winter!   

· Clean all of your feeders with a solution of one part chlorine bleach to ten parts water.

· Place your feeders before bad weather so the birds will become familiar with their location.  Place them where they will be safe from predators.

· Clear all debris from small ponds.  Decaying leaves and other vegetable matter will rob the water of precious oxygen.

· Plan to have a bird bath available, one made of plastic or another material that will not be harmed by the freezing weather.

Sunshine

At last report, all were healthy and ready to enjoy the winter season!

Websites to Check Out

Floral Arrangement Ideas

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/dc_floral_arrangements/0,1792,HGTV_3418,00.html

Christmas Tree Decorating Ideas

http://www.bhg.com/bhg/category.jhtml?categoryid=/templatedata/bhg/category/data/Christmas_ChristmasTrees.xml

Winter Care of Houseplants

http://www.ipm.iastate.edu/ipm/hortnews/1993/12-8-1993/shower.html

New Sprouts – Mary Whinery

Welcome to Elsie Carpenter! Her interests include Container Gardening, Perennials and Herbs. Be sure to say Hi to her at our next meeting!

“Backyard Havens” Garden Tour June 24, 2007 - Patty Sorensen

Big THANKS to the following members who signed up to help with the Garden Tour & Faire at the November meeting: Ann Silverthorne, Cindi Miller, Mildred Reppeto, Stephanie Janik, Beverly Mulkey. Two major roles still need to be filled: Day of Tour Chair and Ticket Coordinator.

McMinnville Garden Club Organized in 1926 PO Box 386 McMinnville OR 97128 http://mcminnvillegardenclub.org Information: 503 434 4344 Meeting Information Meeting Day: Third Monday September through June 10:30-10:45 AM Social Time 10:45 AM – 1 PM Optional Brown Bag Lunch Hillside, Activity Room, 900 NW Hill Road, McMinnville, OR Meetings are open to the public. Executive Board President Gaye Stewart Past President Kim Jongedyk Vice President Beverly Mulkey Secretary Mildred Reppeto Treasurer Jacci Reed Conservation Pledge I pledge to protect and conserve the natural resources of the planet Earth, and promise to promote education, so we may be caretakers to our air, water, forests, land, and wildlife. Ongoing Projects Summer Garden Tour The Oregon Garden Support Scholarships for Horticulture National Garden Week Garden of the Month Blue Star Memorial Marker City Beautification “Garden Clippings” is a monthly publication of the McMinnville Garden Club. Contact Gaye Stewart or 503-434-4344 for info.

Committee Chairs Backyard Habitat Alicia Dimond Field Trips Judy Eggers Garden Tour 2007 Patty Sorensen Garden Tour 2008 Jean Lierman Georgia Queen Garden Faire 2007 Margaret Roberts Historian Dorothy Mathiesen Horticulture Julie Maahs Hospitality Julie Hughes Cathy Burdett Library Plant Care Sandy Ford Membership Mary Whinery Newsletter/Website Patty Sorensen Newsletter Asst. Sandy Bolmer Parliamentarian Sharon Gunter Post Office Landscape Joanne DeWitt Publicity/PR Beverly Mulkey Scholarship Ann Silverthorne Sunshine Joan Friese Telephone Vicki Brink Yard of Month Evelyn Mundinger Yearbook/Photography Kim Jongedyk The newsletter deadline for submission of articles for our monthly newsletter is the 25th of each month. Please send them to Patty Sorensen. Do you know of any prospective Garden Club members? Be sure to let Mary Whinery know names and addresses. We would love to send them our newsletter for two months.